Wednesday, November 24, 2010

I've always wondered why French dessert plates aren't more popular with collectors than they are.

Perhaps its the pastel colors. Majolica collectors seek out intensely colored pieces in general so it would make sense that pastels would not be as popular.

Perhaps it's the design sensibility. French plates are undeniably French looking. They have a light feminine quality, often with art nouveau lines. More often than not they are heavily decorated with lush florals but occasionally you will find animals or people. It's very easy to imagine the novelist Colette lunching on them as she pens Gigi.

These are plates that comfortably fit in the world of Cocteau, Piaf and Chevalier.

French plates are easily found and inexpensive with most of them selling under $100. They are a wonderful way to add color and a bit of French sophistication to your table or wall.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Thanksgiving is a great time of year to treat your guests to some of the wonderful serving pieces made in majolica. In addition to that, there are wonderful majolica items made with turkeys to charm the family.

To carry the theme further you can include some Indian majolica items in honor of the first Thanksgiving.

Monday, November 15, 2010

With the holidays approaching I thought I'd share with you one of my favorite majolica Christmas memories.

In the early 1990's my eldest sister started collecting majolica. She bought her first three pieces from me and has purchased pieces now and then from antiques shows ever since. She buys what she likes and what she can afford like most of us and doesn't place that much stock on its monetary value. She has amassed a lovely collection.

One day in the late 1990's while I was working as an antiques dealer, my Mother and youngest sister shared with me their conundrum. They just couldn't find an appropriate gift for my sister for Christmas. They asked me if I might have something in the way of an antique she might like. Earlier that day I had picked up a small majolica mug from an antiques showcase in Adamstown PA I was hoping to keep for myself, but knowing how special it was I suggested it as a gift for my sister. I unpacked it from the bag I had brought it home in and gave it to my Mother to look at. She thought it was pretty but was concerned about the tiny chip on the lip. I assured her that the chip was minor. She and my sister decided to buy it for my oldest sister for Christmas. I told her to only pay me what I had spent on the piece and to put my name on the gift when they gave it to her. I knew that I was underselling the mug significantly but I really wanted to encourage my Mom to buy the piece. I wanted my eldest sister to have it.
A couple of weeks later on Christmas day when my sister opened the package, she screamed with joy. Then she saw the tiny chip on the lip and was visibly disturbed by it. Immediately she brought it to everyone's attention that the mug was damaged. I was slightly disappointed with her reaction but assured her that it was a minor flaw and did not significantly affect the value. She thanked us all and took it home where it has sat in a corner of her china cabinet ever since.

Since we presented her with that mug my Mother has passed away so it's taken on a certain sentimental value that other pieces in my sister's collection do not have. I look at it whenever I go to her home, as I will next week for Thanksgiving, and am reminded of the circumstances that led to it landing there. It makes me smile to see it.

The mug is a George Jones chestnut blossom mug. Since my sister received it the price of it has increased several times over regardless of the chip. To this day I'm still not sure if my sister appreciates the monetary value of the mug but I do know she wouldn't sell it for the world and that's good enough for me.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Whenever I come across interesting displays of majolica on the Internet, I set them aside for future reference. I thought I'd share a few of these with you today.

For one reason or another, each of these images shows majolica used in an interesting, attractive or creative manner. Perhaps they will inspire you to find new ways of displaying majolica in your own home.

About Me

Disclaimer

While many of the images on this blog are from my own archive, the majority of the images posted here are from the internet. I make no claim to owning them or having copyright possession with the exception of those clearly marked.

A blog such as this cannot exist without the assistance of others. It depends on the good will of dealers and collectors alike to advance the appreciation of majolica. Anyone whose images are posted here, copyrighted or not, who want their images removed may have them immediately removed at their request. In addition the opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author alone based on their own experience.

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